Small Group InstructionSmall group instruction will typcally consist of 3-7 students, especially recommended for students with lerning problems. Tier 2 instruction in an RTI model. Attempt to group students who have similar instructional needs an a specific academic area.Advantages:
-Students are able to participate more during instruction
-Teachers are able to provide more instruction, praise, and feedback
-Students are able to progresss at their own rates.
-Small-group instruction typically is less boring.
-Teachers using small-group instruction are able to monitor the progress of students better and make teaching modifications
-Small-group instruction provides students with language differences with a more comfortable setting for participating and seeing for clarification. The small group arrangement is especially important for students with learning and behavioral problems.
A small-group follow-up can be helpful to student who do not learn sufficiently during large group teacher presentations.
Samall group instruction may have an advantage over one-on-one instruction because a student with learning problems, may , through observation, learn a skill that is being taught to another group member.
Small group setting provide the opportunity to increase the intensity of intervention for students who have moved to Tier 2 in an RTI model.
Disadvantages:
Students are required to do more seatwork.
Teachers must do more planning
Teachers must organize more insructional variables (such as grouping students, managing transitions, monitoring seatwork activities for students when they are not in their small group.
Things to know to implement small groups
Establish rules for small-group instructionMake the groups as homogeneous as possible.Locate the small group in an area that allows the teacher to scan the entire class.Place the students in a semicircle so that their shoulders align with the shoulders of the students beside themUse motivation activities during small group work
Things to know to implement small groups
Establish rules for small-group instructionMake the groups as homogeneous as possible.Locate the small group in an area that allows the teacher to scan the entire class.Place the students in a semicircle so that their shoulders align with the shoulders of the students beside themUse motivation activities during small group work